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Contact:
George Jude
Monday, February 9, 2004 - Prime Ministers Dr. Kenny Anthony of St.
Lucia, and Dr. Ralph Gonzalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Roosevelt
Skerrit of Dominica travelled to London over the past weekend for a series of
meetings aimed at promoting the interests of banana farmers in the Windward
Islands.
Drs. Anthony and Gonzalves and Mr. Skerrit will hold talks with representatives
of the main supermarket chains, which purchase Windward Island bananas including
Sainsbury, Tesco, Waitrose and Marks and Spencers.
According to Dr. Anthony, the meetings are critical at this time as banana
farmers in St. Lucia and the other Windward Islands have redoubled their efforts
to increase production and improve on the quality of bananas shipped to the
United Kingdom. The London visit will also lend support to the efforts by the
Windward Islands Banana Exporting Company (WIBDECO), to intensify marketing of
Windward Islands bananas in the United Kingdom. In addition to the meetings, Dr.
Anthony and the Vincentian and Dominican Prime Ministers will visit banana
reception depots and hold talks with Britain’s Minister of Agriculture, Lord
Whitty.
On Thursday February 12th at 7.30 p.m., the three Prime Ministers will address
nationals of their respective countries in London and update them on
developments at home and the importance of the banana industry to their
economies.
On completion of their engagement in London, Dr. Anthony and Dr. Gonzalves will
travel to Brussels for meetings with European Commissions responsible for Trade,
Agriculture and Development. They will also meet with the president of the
European Council. The St. Lucian Prime Minister is scheduled to return home on
Saturday February 14th.
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